Putter

ABSTRACT

A golf putter designed to aid the golfer in achieving a pendulum swing and enhance his ability to maintain the alignment of the putter face with the intended line of the golf ball.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of golf clubs and in particular, to an improved golf putter.

The shaft of the putter is designed to improve and assist in the alignment of the golf putter face with the intended path of a golf ball and assists the golfer in achieving and maintaining a pendulum swing.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO THE INVENTION

I have played the game of golf for sixty some years and have enjoyed every minute of it. I played my first game of golf in 1946, at the time I was employed by Air Canada as a load planner. A load planner is responsible for planning the load on an aircraft so as to maintain a proper centre of gravity. A proper centre of gravity means the aircraft is in proper balance. I mention this as the centre of gravity and balance has had a large influence on the way I perceive the game of golf and in the designing of this putter. All golf clubs in general are manufactured to conform to rules set down by the Professional Golf Association, usually referred to as the P. G. A. At this time I refer to the rule on alignment set forth by the Professional Golf Association.

Alignment

Appendix 11 1d states that when the club is in its normal address position the shaft will be so aligned that:

i the projection of the straight part of the shaft on to the vertical plane through the toe and heel shall diverge from the vertical by at least ten degrees.

ii the projection of the straight part of the shaft onto the vertical plane along the intended line of play shall not diverge from the vertical by more than 20 degrees.

The ruling as described refers to all golf clubs, woods, irons and putters. I agree with the ruling in regards to the woods and irons. I do have reservations to the ruling as described regarding the putter. At this time I will refer to the ruling as described regarding the woods and irons.

The woods and irons swing on a diagonal plane or arc as the shaft is mounted at a diagonal angle from the club head at ten to twenty degrees from vertical.

When a golfer positions himself to execute a shot, he squares his stance and shoulders to the intended direction of the shot. He squares the face of the golf club to this intended line. The golfer aligns his head in the position of where he wants the base of his swing to contact the golf ball. The placement of the golfer's head is important as it is the axis of the swing and must remain in the position of the original alignment throughout the swing. The golfer starts the back swing with his hands arms and shoulders moving straight back from the golf ball. As the shoulders turn, the left knee bends in towards the right knee. This is the start of the golfer transferring his weight to the right leg which will remain stable or as it was at the address position. The golfers right leg will remain in this position throughout the entire back swing.

As the shoulders continue to turn, the hips follow, the arms and hands are moving upward and into the inside as is the golf club. At this time in the back swing the golfer must maintain the plain of the swing which was set at the time he aligned his head at address. A stable right leg at this time is a must. As the shoulders complete a full turn the wrists fall into a cocked position. The back swing is initiated by the golfer transferring his weight to his left side which starts the unwinding of his hips, shoulders and arms. As the right shoulder passes under the chin, all the centrifical force transfers to the right wrist and hand. This area is often described by golfers as the release area or contact area. The right wrist and hand take up the torque in this area. I refer to the hand as the dominant right hand. The ruling as described on alignment is about as perfect as any golfer could ask for as the ark of the stroke remains diagonal throughout the entire swing. From the turning of the hips to the shoulders, arms and hands the stroke is all diagonal. These designs are proper as they conform to the requirements of a diagonal swing. The question here is can the golfer, through the manipulation of hands, arms and shoulders, guide the putter head down the desired line in a pendulum stroke with a putter that is designed with a diagonal shaft and swings on a diagonal plane. Golfers line up the putter blade by placing the putter blade at right angles to the intended direction of the roll of the ball. The intended roll of the ball is established by visualizing an imaginary line from the ball to the hole, or an imaginary line from the ball to a spot on the line of intended roll. When the golfer is ready to proceed by aligning the putter blade at a right angle to the intended line of the putt, he positions himself square to the golf ball. The golfer's head must retain the proper position as it remains the axis of the putting stroke. From tee to green the golfer's right hand has played a dominant part in the contact area or release of the club. This is a built in reflex as the diagonal swing and the transfer of the centrifical force of the club head aligns the whole dominant right hand side of the swing.

We are all aware of the advantage of people who are blessed with the gift of having what is known as ambidextrous right or left-hand control. This is especially so in the field of sports. In baseball they are able to swing the bat with either right or left handed action, or throw the ball with either hand. The examples are numerous as are the advantages of the gift of nature bestowed upon these athletes. In the art of putting it is essential that both hands have the ability to move as one. There should be no influence to activate any pressure over one hand to another. The alignment as described in regards to putting is impossible for the golfer as the angle of the golfers hands, being of a diagonal angle, activates the dominant hand action be it right or left hand.

The present invention is directed to an improved golf club putter. The putter incorporates realigning the main shaft of the putter so as to place the golfers hands in a vertical position on the putter grip. This was accomplished by mounting the main shaft in the centre of the putter head, at a ten degree angle from vertical, for a length of 18 inches which was the required length of the putter shaft set down by the ruling as described on alignment by the P. G. A. The main shaft now turns 10 degrees back to vertical for the remaining 18 inches to the putter grip. The putter grip remains 5 degrees from vertical at the top of the shaft. This 5 degrees provides the golfer with a clear vertical line of sight

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

from the golfers head to the putter head which is important as the golfers head is the axis for a pendulum stroke. The golfer's hands are now placed in a vertical position on the putter grip at the top of the shaft. The vertical top half of the shaft swings in a true pendulum motion, the lower portion of the shaft follows as the lower half moves in conjunction with the upper vertical shaft as does the putter head. The centre of gravity is improved by 99%, as is the balance of the golf putter. The centre of gravity and the balance is a must when performing a pendulum stroke or swing.

Over the 60 odd years of playing golf I have observed many good golfers pack it in on account of the dominant right or left hand action. In the contact area of the putter face and the ball. Many golfers refer to this action as the yips. There is no doubt in my mind that the main source of this action is in the ruling set down by the P. G. A. on alignment. The diagonal angle alignment triggers the right hand or left hand, which ever hand is dominant, in the contact or release area, causing the putter face to open or close. Rules on alignment should be exact and above all fair. The rules should not favor one golfer to another, that is discrimination. There is also no doubt in my mind that the P. G. A. will give this a second look when I forward this document to them, and change a wrong to a right. My sincere hope is this design on alignment will level the playing field for golfers in general.

At this time I would like to highlight the improvements over the ruling on alignment set down by the Professional Golf Association:

(1) improved centre of gravity of the putter.

(2) improved balance of the putter

(3) vertical placement of the golfers hands in order to move both hands in unison to execute a pendulum stroke.

(4)Clear vertical line of site from golfers eye to the putter head.

Brief description of the drawings

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a golf putter from above and behind, denoting the various parts of a golf putter, the placement and measurements of the various parts, the weight of the putter as well as the angles of placement, as follows:

(1)—upper section of shaft

(2)—lower section of shaft

(3)—putter grip

(4)—putter head

(5)—shaft positioned in the centre of the putter head

(6)—upper section of shaft measures 457.2 mm.

(7)—lower section of shaft measures 457.2 mm.

(8)—complete putter (shaft & head) weighs 0.529 kilograms

(9)—lower section of shaft positioned at a 10 degree angle from vertical

(10)—upper section of shaft returns to vertical position

FIG. 2 shows a straight on view to a putter face, demonstrating the perpendicular line of site from the eye of a golfer to a golf ball, as follows:

(11)—putter face

(12)—eye

(13)—perpendicular line of site

(14)—golf ball 

1. A golf putter comprising A putter head having a ball striking surface, a top surface, a heel end and a toe end. A main shaft extending upwardly from the top surface of the putter head, at a ten degree angle from vertical for eighteen inches (457.2 mm) and returning to vertical for eighteen inches (457.2 mm) The shaft further having a grip disposed at it's free end for gripping and swinging the putter. The alignment of the upper portion of the shaft swings in a vertical ark or pendulum motion as does the lower portion of the golf shaft as they swing in conjunction as one. At this time I would like to high light the claims and improvements the above paragraphs designate in regards to alignment. (1)improved centre of gravity of the putter (2) improved balance of the putter (3) vertical placement of the golfers hands on the golf grip in order to move both hands in unison to execute a pendulum stroke. (4) Clear vertical line of sight from golfers eye to the putter head The putter as designed provides the golfer with the feel and touch of a pendulum stroke. When the golfer stands square to the golf ball the left shoulder arm and hands move the golf shaft back in a straight line to the intended line of the putt. The golfers left shoulder arm and hand are the leading factor provided in this pendulum stroke. The left shoulder arm and hand remain in control in the back swing. At this time of the return of the back swing the dominant hand of the golfer be it right or left hand takes over. This action by the dominant hand is a natural reflex as it is trained to provide the power to a golf shaft that is diagonal on all golf shafts from the driver to the fairway irons.What is at fault here is the rules on alignment in regards to the putter. The putting stroke does not require power as does the fairway driver and irons. It is a tender quiet pendulum stroke designed to stroke the ball on a straight line to the target. I have discussed in detail the advantages some golfers have when they are blessed with ambidextrous hands.It is not right or fair to have a ruling on alignment that favours one golfer to another. The putter I have designed corrects this fault or oversight on alignment as both hands play a part as they move in conjunction with one another with a putter that is designed to swing in a vertical ark rather than a diagonal ark. The word that comes to mind here is discrimination. 